Easy open shrink-wrapped package

ABSTRACT

The present application provides an easy open shrink-wrapped package for a number of products. The easy open shrink-wrapped packages includes a tray with the number of products thereon and a shrink-wrap film surrounding the tray and the number of products. The shrink-wrap film includes a first wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall and a line of perforations extending across the first wall from the first sidewall to the second sidewall.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to packages and other types of containers and more particularly relate to packages for beverage bottles and the like having an easy to remove shrink-wrap film thereon to provide easy access to the beverage bottles therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Thermoplastic shrink-wrap films are often used to package containers such as beverage bottles and the like. Such thermoplastic shrink-wrap films may be less expensive than, for example, conventional paperboard or cardboard containers. Beverage containers such as bottled water and the like may be packaged loose or placed on a cardboard tray or pad, covered with the shrink-wrap film, the shrink-wrap film may be heated to shrink about the container, and the package may be shipped to a retail outlet or elsewhere for purchase and use by a consumer.

A common issue with these thermoplastic shrink-wrap films is that if the film is too thin the package may fail and allow the beverage bottles to spill out of the package during distribution and handling. Conversely, if the thermoplastic shrink-wrap film is thick enough to resist failure, the overall package may be difficult for a consumer to open without a knife or other type of tool to provide access to the beverage bottles and the like.

There is thus a desire for an improved shrink-wrapped package for use with containers such as beverage bottles and the like. The improved shrink-wrapped package may be strong enough to resist failure during distribution and handling while also being easy to open by a consumer, a retail outlet stock member, and the like without the use of special tools.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application and the resultant patent thus provide an easy open shrink-wrapped package for a number of products. The easy open shrink-wrapped packages includes a tray with the number of products thereon and a shrink-wrap film surrounding the tray and the number of products. The shrink-wrap film includes a first wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall and a line of perforations extending across the first wall from the first sidewall to the second sidewall.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide a repeat of a shrink-wrap film used to create a shrink-wrapped package. The repeat includes a first bottom panel, a front panel, a top panel, a back panel, a second bottom panel, a first line of perforations extending across the front panel in a first direction and extending across the first bottom panel in a second direction, and a second line of perforations extending across the back panel in the first direction and extending across the second bottom panel in the second direction.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide an easy open shrink-wrapped package for a number of products. The easy open shrink-wrapped package includes a shrink-wrap film surrounding the number of products. The shrink-wrap film defines a first wall, a first sidewall with a first bulls-eye, and a second sidewall with a second bulls-eye. The shrink-wrap film includes a line of perforations extending across the first wall from the first sidewall to the second sidewall.

These and other features and advantages of the present application and the resultant patent will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of an easy open shrink-wrapped package as may be described herein.

FIG. 1B is a side perspective view of the easy open shrink-wrapped package of FIG. 1A showing an enhanced line of perforations.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the easy open shrink-wrapped package of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a repeat of shrink-wrap film that may be used to create the easy open shrink-wrapped package of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of exemplary method steps in creating the easy open shrink-wrapped package of FIG. 1A.

FIGS. 5A-5C show several views of a portion of a perforation press used to make the easy open shrink-wrapped package of FIG. 1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2 show an example of an easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 as may be described herein. In describing the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100, the terms “front,” “back,” “bottom,” “top,” “side,” “end,” “first,” “second,” and the like are used for purposes of relative orientation only and not as absolute positions. For example, any surface of the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 may be used as the bottom or the top as oriented by a user. Further, the terms “length,” “width,” “height,” and the like also refer to relative orientations. Similarly, the term “easy open shrink-wrapped package 100,” is meant to encompass “containers,” “boxes,” and any other type of enclosure or packaging using a shrink-wrap film of any type.

The easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 may include a number of products 110 therein. In this example, the products 110 may be conventional plastic bottles 120 and, more particularly, plastic water bottles are shown. The products 110, however, may be any item suitable for shipping in the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100. Specifically, the products 110 may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. Likewise, although twelve bottles 120 are shown, any number of the bottles 120 or other products 110 may be used in the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100. The products 110 may be positioned in a uniform array 125 of any dimension.

The products 110 may be positioned and supported by a tray 130. The tray 130 may be made out of cardboard, paperboard, and the like with sufficient rigidity to support the products 110 therein. The tray 130 may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration largely based on the number and size of the products 110 therein. In this example, the tray 130 may have side walls 135 with a height of about one to about three inches (about 25.4 to about 76.2 millimeters). Other dimensions may be used herein. A tray 130 without the sidewalls 135 also may be used. Depending upon the nature of the products 110, the tray 130 may or may not be used. The tray 130 does aid in the wrapping process by maintaining the products 110 in place as will be described in more detail below.

The easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 also includes a layer of a shrink-wrap film 140. The shrink-wrap film 140 may be a conventional thermoplastic film such as a low density polyethylene and the like. Certain applications also may use polyolefins, polyvinyl chlorides, and the like. Other types of thermoplastics and other types of materials may be used herein. The shrink-wrap film 140 may be recyclable. The shrink-wrap film 140 may have a thickness of about two to about four mils (thousands of an inch or about 0.0508 to about 0.1016 millimeters). Other thicknesses may be used herein. The shrink-wrap film 140 may be clear or opaque. Any suitable type of graphics, messaging, or other types of indicia may be printed or otherwise applied to the shrink-wrap film 140. Other components and other configurations may be used hereon.

The easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 may include a front wall 150, a back wall 160, a top wall 170, a bottom wall 180, a first end wall 190, and a second end wall 200. The end walls 190, 200 each may have a “bulls-eye” 210 formed therein. As will be described in more detail below, the bulls-eye 210 may be a substantially circular gap caused by wrapping the shrink-wrap film 140 around the products 110 and the tray 130. The size of the bulls-eyes 210 may vary. The easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 as a whole and the respective walls in particular may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration.

The easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 may include one or more tear away sections 220. The tear away sections 220 may be formed by one or more lines of perforations 230 in the shrink-wrap film 140. The line of perforations 140 may start at or about one or both of the end walls 190, across one or both of the front wall 150 and the back wall 160, and end at the opposite end wall 200. The line of perforations 140 may extend across the front wall 150 and/or the back wall 160 at lower end 240 thereof. Specifically, the line of perforations 230 may be positioned just above the sidewall 135 of the tray 130. In this example, a first line of perforation 140 extends across the front wall 150 and a second line of perforation 140 extends across the back wall 160. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

In this example, the line of perforations 230 may be a series of slits 250 formed in the shrink-wrap film 140 (as opposed to, for example, round hole perforations and the like). The slits 250 may be about two to about eight millimeters in length. The line of perforations 230 may include lands 260 in between the slits 250 of about 3.5 to about 9.0 millimeters. Given such, the center to center spacing between the slits 250 may be about 7.0 to about 12.0 millimeters. Other dimensions and other spacings may be used herein.

FIG. 3 shows a repeat 270 of a shrink-wrap film 140 that may be used with the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100. The repeat 270 may have a front panel 280 the corresponds to the front wall 150, a back panel 290 that corresponds to the back wall 160, a top panel 300 that corresponds to the top wall 170, and a first bottom panel 310 and a second bottom panel 320 that correspond to the bottom wall 180. The various panels may be defined by a number of fold lines 330. As can be seen, the line of perforations 230 may extend along the width of the front panel 280 and the back panel 290 and then turn perpendicularly along the length of both sides of the first bottom panel 310 and the second bottom panel 320. Other types of perforation configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 4 shows exemplary method steps in creating the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 in a packing facility 350. At step 360, a roll of the shrink-wrap film 140 may be delivered to the packing facility 350. The shrink-wrap film 140 may be printed or non-printed. At step 370, the shrink-wrap film 140 may be loaded on to an unwind stand. At step 380, the shrink-wrap film 140 may be pulled off of the unwind stand and fed through a perforation press 390. Examples of a portion of the perforation press 390 are shown in FIG. 5A—5C. As is shown, the perforation press 390 includes a series of spaced apart knives 400 configured to create the line of perforations 230 as described above. At step 410, the perforation press 390 may be activated and the line of perforations 230 may be formed within the shrink-wrap film 140. The perforation press 390 may be in continuous motion or in intermittent motion. At step 420, the shrink-wrap film 140 may be delivered to a wrapping station where the film 140 merges with a tray 130 filled with a number of the bottles 120 or other products 110.

At step 430, the shrink-wrap film 140 may be wrapped around the tray 130 with the bottles 120 therein. As noted above, the shrink-wrap film 140 overwraps the tray 130 with the bottles 120 given the use of the first bottom panel 310 and the second bottom panel 320 and, in the process, creates both bulls-eyes 210. At step 440, the tray 130 with the bottles 120 and the overwrapped film 140 are delivered to a heat tunnel. At step 450, heat may be applied within the heat tunnel such that overwrapped film 140 shrinks to contain the tray 130 with the bottles 120 therein in a tight consistent wrap. The first bottom panel 310 and the second bottom panel 320 are sealed together to complete the easy-open shrink-wrapped package 100. At step 460, the completed easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 may be delivered to a retail outlet, the consumer, and/or elsewhere.

By way of example, the knives 400 of the perforation press 390 in this example may be about 10.18 millimeters wide and may be tapered to a point. The knives 400 may be space apart by about 0.67 millimeters. The length of the slits 250 and the length of the lands 260 depend on how far the knives 400 penetrate into the film 140. The center to center distance will remain the same regardless of the cut length. For example:

2 mm slit+8.85 mm land=10.85 mm.

4 mm slit+6.85 mm land=10.85 mm.

6.35 mm slit+4.5 mm land=10.85 mm.

To summarize, if the slits 250 range between about 2 millimeters and about 4 millimeters and the lands 260 range between about 8.85 millimeters and about 6.85 millimeters, the average center to center spacing may be about 10.85 millimeters. Other dimensions and other spacings may be used herein.

The shrink-wrap film 140 of the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 has sufficient strength and rigidity to maintain overall integrity during distribution and handling. Once delivered, the consumer or a retail staffer may easily remove the tear away section 220 without the use of a knife or other type of tool and with no hazard to the user or damage to the bottles 120 or other products 110. The consumer or the retail staffer simply grasps one of the tear away sections 220 about one of the bulls-eyes 210 and pulls along the line of perforations 230. The tear away sections 220 may be removed in whole or in part with a resultant clean appearance. The tear away section 220 may be up to about sixty-five percent or so of the entire easy open shrink-wrapped package 110. The bottles 120 or other products 110 therein thus may now be easily accessible and removable.

When used in a retail outlet, the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 converts non-productive pallet or shelf space into shelf ready packaging for easy consumer access to the bottles 120 or other products 110 therein. When used in the home or other locations, the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 provides the consumer with easy transport, storage, and access.

Although the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 has been described herein in the context of the bottles 120, the easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 also may be used to package any type of products 110. The easy open shrink-wrapped package 100 described herein is not limited by the nature of the products intended to be used therein.

It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and the resultant patent. Numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof. 

1. An easy open shrink-wrapped package for a number of products, comprising: a tray with the number of products thereon; and a shrink-wrap film surrounding the tray and the number of products; the shrink-wrap film comprising a first wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall; the shrink-wrap film comprising a line of perforations extending across the first wall from the first sidewall to the second sidewall.
 2. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the shrink-wrap film comprises a polyethylene.
 3. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the shrink-wrap film comprises a thickness of about two to about four mils (about 0.0508 to about 0.1016 millimeters).
 4. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the first wall comprises a front wall.
 5. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 4, further comprising a back wall and wherein a second line of perforations extends across the back wall.
 6. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall comprises a first bulls-eye and wherein the line of perforations extends across the first sidewall in part to the first wall.
 7. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 6, wherein the second sidewall comprises a second bulls-eye and wherein the line of perforations extends across the second sidewall in part to the first wall.
 8. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the shrink-wrap film comprises a tear away section defined by the line of perforations.
 9. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the line of perforations is positioned on the first wall at a lower end thereof.
 10. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the line of perforations is positioned on the first wall adjacent to a sidewall of the tray.
 11. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the line of perforation comprises a plurality of slits separated by a plurality of lands.
 12. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 11, wherein the plurality of slits comprises a length of about two to about eight millimeters.
 13. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 11, wherein the plurality of slits comprises a center to center spacing of about seven to about twelve millimeters.
 14. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 1, wherein the number of products comprises a number of bottles positioned in an array.
 15. A repeat of a shrink-wrap film used to create a shrink-wrapped package, comprising: a first bottom panel; a front panel; a top panel; a back panel; a second bottom panel; a first line of perforations extending across the front panel in a first direction and extending across the first bottom panel in a second direction; and a second line of perforations extending across the back panel in the first direction and extending across the second bottom panel in the second direction.
 16. An easy open shrink-wrapped package for a number of products, comprising: a shrink-wrap film surrounding the number of products; the shrink-wrap film comprising a first wall, a first sidewall with a first bulls-eye, and a second sidewall with a second bulls-eye; and the shrink-wrap film comprising a line of perforations extending across the first wall from the first sidewall to the second sidewall.
 17. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 16, further comprising a tray with the number of products thereon.
 18. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 16, wherein the shrink-wrap film comprises a polyethylene.
 19. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 16, wherein the shrink-wrap film comprises a thickness of about two to about four mils (about 0.0508 to about 0.1016 millimeters).
 20. The easy open shrink-wrapped package of claim 16, wherein the shrink-wrap film comprises a tear away section defined by the line of perforations. 